Coming of Age
by reilert79
Summary: There is a certain special day that is happening, and Chris has forgotten all about it, but luckily everyone else hasn't.


Coming of Age

***Chris and Mary Beth's office***

It's been a month since Chris won the big lottery jackpot. She tried to keep it quiet, but everyone found out when it hit the news. She and David have been slowly enjoying themselves, but they haven't yet presented the girls with their money yet.

They had planned on buying the apartment next door and adding on to their place. However, their contractor was busy and they didn't find another one before it sold.

Chris is still wanting a new car, but she hasn't found the time to go look or test drive any. She and Mary Beth have been really hitting it hard with their cases.

She and Mary Beth are in their office working. It's Monday, and the story about her winning the lottery was on the news last week.

Feldberg comes in and knocks on their open door.

"Christine, congratulations on your good fortune! And thank you for still gracing us with your presence, even though we are mere peasants to you".

"Very funny, Feldberg. What can I do for you?"

"Just letting you know that the retirement meeting for this month has been rescheduled. Next one is Thursday at 5 p.m.".

"Ok thank you". Chris went back to work comparing phone records for her case. Suddenly, there was a knock on their open door, and Chris looked up to see a delivery man with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you". She put the bouquet on the desk, and looked it over. Birds of paradise, gladiolus, bells of Ireland, white roses, purple heather, snapdragon, and a very gorgeous red and yellow flower that laced up. Mary Beth said it was a lobster claw. She found the card and read it.

"10. Love David".

She had no idea what he meant. She texted him. "Thank you for the lovely flowers honey. What is the number 10 for?"

"Isn't it obvious, babe? Love you".

She thought about it for a moment and then got back to work.

About 3:30 the lady from the bank called and stated that the certificates for their funds that they had set up were ready to be picked up. So, she left at 4, and headed to the bank.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris came home and changed clothes and then made herself a club soda with lime.

She waited for David to come home before they figured out dinner.

She made a list of things she wanted to do. They needed to figure out if it was worth it to stay in their apartment or if they should buy a bigger one, and she wanted to check with the front desk to make sure someone was really moving in to the one next door. If they stayed, she wanted to do the step in their bedroom, and if they bought the one next door, she wanted to do the kitchen and turn Miranda's room into a guest room. If they moved, she wanted to start looking right away.

David came home and kissed her, and then changed clothes and came and sat with her.

"What do you want for dinner, honey?"

"Let's order in sushi, babe. We can have it delivered".

"Ok". Chris wrote out the order, and David called it in.

David then talked to the front desk and they found out that someone had made an offer on the apartment but it was rejected. So, David made an appointment to go see it first thing in the morning.

Chris made a list of things they wanted to do if they added on to their apartment, and she and David talked about each item.

They wanted to add the step in the bedroom, and get a bigger bed. They wanted to turn the kitchen sideways and have more cabinet and counter space. Miranda's room would be a guest room and the bedroom in the new place would be hers. If there were two bedrooms available, they would let her pick which one she wanted, and make the other one a large office or TV room. They were also going to connect the balconies somehow, and David wanted to see if they could bring the elevator up to their apartment, and change the entrance. He also wanted to make sure that Miranda didn't have her own entrance, due to safety concerns.

Once Chris new that they weren't leaving, she went and put on her pajamas and came back and chilled on the couch.

David got on his laptop and secretly placed an order. About 8:30, as soon as they had finished dinner, he got a text.

"Got an errand to run, babe, be right back".

He kissed her and quickly left before she could say anything.

****20 minutes later****

David came in to find Chris on the couch, watching TV. She had the laptop in her lap, and she was yelling at it.

"Ugh! Go Faster!"

She set it down and got up to make herself a drink.

"Babe, close your eyes. I have a surprise for you".

She did as she was told.

"I've got your drink. Come with me, keep them closed".

He led her to the couch, and helped her sit down.

"David…"

"It's ok babe, it's about to be revealed". He put the surprise in her lap, and said "Open".

She opened her eyes to find a brand-new Apple MacBook Pro with all the accessories and add on's.

"Honey! How sweet!"

She kissed him, and then started opening the box to look at everything.

It was the best laptop she had ever had, and she couldn't wait to use it. She didn't notice it, but on the side of the box, there was a small sticker that had the number 9 circled.

"I am going to take this old one to our IT guy, and see if he can pull the pictures off it, plus Itunes and documents."

"That's smart. That way we don't lose everything".

She played with her computer the rest of the night, and got it all set up the way she wanted it, and then plugged it up to charge.

She texted Bridgit and Lisa and told them she had something for them, and asked them to pick a day to come over and see what it was.

She and David were sitting there watching TV when they heard the knock at the door. It was the girls.

"Hi! We just figured we would run on over and see you, instead of texting back".

"Well come on in, we are in our pajamas but that's ok".

They came in and sat down, and Chris went to get her purse. Charli was asleep in her car seat. David headed to the bedroom to give them some time to visit.

"So the secret is out. I won the lottery last month".

"The BIG one?!" Chris nodded.

"Way to go Aunt Chris!"

"So, I thought it over and I set up a trust for you two. Plus, one for Charli".

She handed them the paperwork.

"Your two gifts are exactly the same. Charli's is different. There are stipulations on both. You guys will get yours divided up over a span of 25 years. That means that each year, you will get the same amount. Charli will get hers when she turns 25, and you will have the ability to earmark it with the bank if she gets it dispersed like you did, or all at once".

She handed them the certificates that showed how much they would get.

"1.6 million dollars a year?!"

Lisa and Bridgit were crying. They hugged Chris and just let the tears flow….

"Since this year is more than half over, you will get half of that for the remainder of this year. Then you will get the full amount starting in January. Your accounts are at Citi bank, so they can help you figure out debit cards and all of that".

They were just speechless. Bridgit grabbed her phone and facetimed Brian.

He answered right away and could see that she was crying. "What's wrong baby?"

She passed the phone to Chris.

"Hi Brian! The girls are fine, they are just in shock right now. I told them a secret-I won the lottery last month, and I am giving them a share of it. They are just in shock I think".

Bridgit got back in the view of the phone and nodded her head vigorously.

"Lisa-take a pic of the paperwork and send it to your mom".

Lisa did as she was told. Chris kept talking to Brian, and she told them that a banker set up the trusts, and that there was one for Charli too.

"That is so generous of you Chris, really. You are just the greatest aunt to our girls".

"They make it easy, believe me".

Ann came into view and showed Brian the text. "Chris….oh my goodness! How thoughtful!"

Brian looked at it. "Wow, sis, that's a chunk of change! We can't thank you enough".

"They are worth it, believe me".

They chatted a few more minutes and then Bridgit got up and went to the bathroom. She came back out. Charli was starting to wake up, so she got her out of her car seat and sat her in her lap.

"Hi sweet Charli! Hi, there princess!"

"Charli, say 'thank you Aunt Chris! Say love you, aunt Chris!"

Chris was playing with her feet and kept smiling at her.

Lisa regained her composure and came over and hugged Chris.

"Do you know that you are my hero?"

"Really? Me?" Chris couldn't believe it.

"Yes, and I am not just talking about the money. You never met us until we were grown almost, and you took us into your life without question. I moved across the country and met you for the second time in my life on your wedding day, and you even included me in your wedding. You buy us dinners, you take us shopping, you treat us like we are your own kids. You were by my side in the hospital after Nick beat me up, and you even moved my things out of my apartment into storage in a moment's notice. We can say thank you all the time, but it's never enough. It never will be enough. You always think about us before you think about yourself, and to me, that makes you my hero".

"Aww..thank you, Lisa. You girls mean so much to me. You are the kids I never had. And there was a time that I didn't talk to your dad a lot, so there was a real possibility that I would have never ever met you at all. I am so thankful that I did".

They were all hugging and crying.

"Are you going to quit working?"

"Yeah, I am going to the retirement meeting in a few days but I am probably going to quit at the end of the year."

"Wow. Are you guys staying here?"

"We are either going to buy the apartment next door and expand on to this place, or we are going to look for a bigger place. We have a few plans for this place if we stay here, though".

"If I won the lottery like you did, I would be taking all kinds of trips, and buying a new car, and all kinds of gadgets".

"Well, David bought me this computer tonight, and I have been looking at cars online".

"Well next time we go have a girl's night, it will be on us Aunt Chris!"

"Deal".

She hugged them both, and kissed Charli, and then they left.

She turned off the TV, and locked the door and set the alarm and went and climbed into bed with David for a few minutes. After they finished the movie he was watching, she got up and went and washed her face, and got ready for bed. She came back to see that he had gotten her a glass of water, and they turned the news on as they climbed into bed.

"Are we having dinner with Miranda this week?"

"Yes, tomorrow night. Wednesday didn't work for her".

"Good. It will be good to see her".

They snuggled up and fell asleep.

***Tuesday***

Chris woke up when her alarm went off, and got ready for work. She chose to wear black pants and a bright blue ¾ length blouse, and her Tory Burch flats. She made breakfast for them while David got ready, and then he headed downstairs to meet the realtor. They came back up and knocked on her door, and she joined them on the tour. She grabbed her phone to take pics, and headed with them.

It was a gorgeous apartment. It was a 2 bedroom, and one was set up as an office. The bathroom was huge. They had a clawfoot jacuzzi tub, that Chris fell in love with in the master bathroom. The closets in the master were also bigger. In the master bedroom, they had floor to ceiling windows, and vaulted ceilings. Chris was in the bathroom, looking at the tub again, and turned around to walk back into the bedroom and saw it. The step. The master bedroom had carpet all the way through, but it had the step.

She pulled the floorplan out of the folder David was holding, and laid it on the counter side by side with the floorplan of their apartment.

"Honey, look at this. What if we made this room our room, and then gave Miranda our room now? She would still be on the other end, and have privacy, we would retain our jacuzzi tub, and she would get one as a bonus. We could have the contractor move the hot tub to our end of the balcony and close off her door and give us one, for a lot less than it would cost to add the step in our room. All we would have to do next is turn the kitchen sideways, and this kitchen has the counters and the cabinets that we would want. I think we should buy it".

"I agree Chris".

He turned to the realtor. "What is their asking price?"

"6.1 million"

"I will give you "6.5".

"I will call and tell them, and let you know today. Thank you so much".

David handed her his business card and she showed them out.

They headed back to their apartment, and gathered their things and headed to the parking garage.

He helped her load her things into the car, and then kissed her goodbye.

"I love you Chris, more than anyone in the world".

"Love you too David. See you tonight". She kissed him several times.

20 minutes later she was at work.

***Chris and Mary Beth's apartment***

Chris came in and signed in and put her things down. Mary Beth came in and signed in as well.

"Sorry I was late, Christine, but Alice's ride to school didn't show up, so I had to take her".

"No problem, Mary Beth. Hey, can you text her and see if she can come by here one afternoon this week? I want to see her".

"Sure, she will love that".

Chris got out two envelopes and wrote two checks for $10,000 dollars and put each of them into an envelope. She grabbed a piece of stationary, and wrote a quick note, and then put the notes in there, and sealed the envelopes.

"Mary Beth, do you have Harvey Jr's address, and Michael's? Aunt Chris has been way overdue on sending them Christmas cards. Wanna add them to the list".

"Sure. Harve Jr. would love that-he had the biggest crush on you growing up".

She wrote down their addresses and handed them to Chris. Chris put the paper in her purse, and decided to address the envelopes later.

They worked on their cases for a couple hours and then went to lunch.

"Where do you want to go to lunch, Mary Beth? My treat".

"That's kind of you, Chris. Mexican".

***Fuego***

Chris and Mary Beth walked in and got them a booth. Chris ordered them some cheese dip, and they both ordered waters.

"Mary Beth, I need to tell you something. And I wanted you to know first, before I told Feldberg. I am definitely going to retire on December 31."

"I figured as much. To tell you the truth, I have been toying with the idea myself. I just don't know that I am ready to give it up. Are you really ready to give it up?"

"Yes, I think I am. I am ready to have time for myself. I want to run the foundation, and not have to punch a clock. If it's raining and I don't want to leave the house, I want to have that option. I thought about running a consulting firm, but then I would be doing the same work I am doing now. So there really isn't a point to that. David mentioned you and I opening a private investigation firm, but do we really want to follow people and do stakeouts like the old days?"

"I could do that, Chris. We could work together and we could set our own hours, and we could hire out cops from the force to help us. That's a good idea, Christine".

And the more Chris thought about, the more it made sense. Cops could work for them on their off days or whenever they weren't on duty with the NYPD. They would be contract workers so they would be responsible for their own taxes, and that meant Chris wouldn't have to offer them insurance. She wrote down these ideas and decided to talk them over with David.

Chris ordered two tacos, and a cheese enchilada, and a side of sour cream. Mary Beth had the taco salad. She checked her phone.

"Alice says she will be at the office today at 3:30".

"Perfect!"

They ate and chatted and then the check came and Chris paid it.

"I appreciate you telling me first, Chris. Have you thought about how Feldberg will take it?"

"Yeah, and none of my thoughts have been pretty ones. I don't imagine that it will be a pleasant conversation, but he had to know this day would come at some point. I mean, I have been with the force a long time, Mary Beth. Hell, I just had pneumonia. I am not as young as I used to be, and I just need a break".

"I completely understand. I am ready to do the same thing, myself. I guess I will go with you to the retirement meeting, and see what my options are".

"I got an email today that it is Thursday, at 5 p.m., in the Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel".

"Well, I guess I am going to it, then".

"I know one thing, I am throwing one hell of a retirement party in December."

They both laughed.

"It's been a great partnership, Chris. We had our ups and downs, but I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else. And I hope you know that to me, it was more than just a work partnership, Christine".

Mary Beth had tears in her eyes.

"I feel the same way Mary Beth. I was this tough kid who was destined to prove to anyone who would watch or listen that I could do it. And the partnership between us took me by surprise too, along with the friendship as well. It was never just a work partnership with me either".

They clasped hands for a minute, and then got up and headed back to work.

***Chris and Mary Beth's office***

Chris and Mary Beth came in and got back to work. Chris found a message on her desk that someone wanted to see her in the conference room. Chris and Mary Beth headed to the conference room, and walked in.

"Hello, I am Lieutenant Christine Keeler, and this is my partner, Detective Lacey. How can we help you?"

"Hi. I was told that you were looking for me- I am Suzanne Larkin."

"Yes, we have been investigating you as a missing person. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I left work on Friday, and headed to my family's cabin that is up in the mountains. It's so remote that you can't get cell phone service there, and I didn't tell any of my family I was heading there. Then, my car got stuck in the mud, and the phone lines were out. So, it took a week for me to be able to get back home. As soon as I got back to the city, I was told that you were investigating me, so I came to tell you that I am ok".

"Glad to hear it. If you need anything further from us, please let us know".

Chris and Mary Beth headed back to their office, and found Alice waiting on them.

"Hiya kiddo!" Chris gave her a big hug.

"Alice Christine Lacey, why aren't you still in school?"

Mary Beth pointed at the clock that it was 1:45.

"I have gym last period and he gives us a free class to skip, so I used it. I am still not feeling well since my tonsillitis."

"Well, I don't want this to be a regular occurrence, do you understand?"

"It's fine, mom".

"Well, since I am the one that asked you to come here, let's just get to it."

She pulled out the paperwork.

"I won the lottery last month, and I am sharing some with you. I have set up a college fund, at Citibank. As of right now, there is $400,000 dollars in it- which should be enough to at least help you wherever you go. Books, tuition, dorms, the whole enchilada."

Mary Beth gasped and then had tears in her eyes. "You are mighty generous, Christine".

"Also, your mom said that you have to pay for ½ your car when you turn 16, and she wouldn't let me give you my car now. So, I did the next best thing- I set up a CD for you at Citibank. You will be able to cash it in on your 16th birthday, and that's when you will get the money from it. You can take it all out then, or just some of it, and reinvest the rest. And they will send a statement to you each year telling you how much is in it. So, you can use that money for your part of the car, or all of the car if you find one at a good price."

"Thank you Aunt Christine! You are the greatest!"

She handed the paperwork to Alice who then looked at it with Mary Beth.

"You are so kind to my kids". Mary Beth came over and hugged her, and Alice ran over and hugged her hard when they were finished.

"Gotta take care of my namesake".

She looked at Mary Beth. "I wasn't in a place to help the boys when they turned 16 but I can help now, so I am also sending them some money".

Mary Beth turned to Alice. "If there are any of her wonderful traits that I would want you to inherit from your beautiful Aunt and namesake, it's this. Her generosity. She has always been generous, and that's something to be proud of. Being selfish gets you nowhere, but being generous is something to be known for."

Alice nodded.

Chris looked at the clock.

"I think I am going to head out a little early. We are having dinner with Miranda tonight."

Alice came over and hugged Chris again.

"I want you to know that you are the only one who got a CD. Miranda is getting a trust from me because her father already has a college fund set up for her, and I am sure he will buy her a car on her 16th birthday. Bridgit and Lisa got trusts now, and Charli got one just like Miranda's. They will get it when they are 25. But you are the only one, my dear, who gets a CD for a car".

"You are the best Aunt Christine. I love you, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, sweetie. In 2 years, you will have to drive your mom to my house so I can see what you got".

"Deal".

Mary Beth came over and gave her a long hug.

"The Lacey's are forever in your debt, Christine".

Chris, Mary Beth, and Alice all walked out and headed home.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris got home right at 3:30, and texted David.

"Honey we are eating near Miranda's house, right?"

"Yes. I will be home at 4, babe".

'Ok, love you".

She changed clothes and put a fresh application of A&D ointment on her toe, and some saline on her piercings. She decided to be comfortable, and since it was a little cool outside, she put on destructed skinny jeans, a blue long sleeved shirt, and her zebra print sanuks.

She grabbed a black hoodie jacket, and was ready to go. She went and made herself a club soda with lime, and studied the floorplans of both apartments side by side.

She got a piece of paper and sketched how she wanted it to go, so she could show it to David.

From left to right, looking at the floorplan, at the present it was their bedroom on the left, the den and the hallway with the office and the laundry room next to that, the kitchen, then Miranda's room and bathroom. And the balcony from left to right was the hot tub, the table and chairs, and the grill. They didn't really have anything on Miranda's balcony.

With the new plan, as she was thinking, it would be Miranda's room, then a TV room, then the kitchen, but bigger, and then a guest room and bathroom, and then their TV room and their bedroom. Chris jotted down a few ideas for what they would put in the kitchen from the new place.

She thought about making it a dining room. She also thought about using that kitchen because it was an eat-in kitchen, and they could just build a half-wall kind of, and do bookcases in where the cabinets had been.

She sketched a couple drawings to show what she was thinking.

Just then, David came home.

"Hi babe!" He kissed her.

"Hi honey". She kissed him back a few times. He went to change his clothes, and then came back to the kitchen.

"Honey, I did some sketches on how I want the apartment to look after the renovation. I think Miranda should take our room, like we said, and then we would take the one at the other end, and we would keep whichever kitchen is bigger, and maybe use the other one for a formal dining room? Or we could do bookshelves in place of the cabinets and make it a library? Just a thought".

"Chris, they rejected our offer today, and when I went to make another one, they said that they already had someone under contract".

"What? That's crazy!"

"I'm sorry, babe".

"It's ok. We can just stay here or look for another place, I guess". She tried to not show it but she seemed down.

"We gotta go if we are going to make it to Miranda's on time".

She grabbed her purse and they headed out.

***In the car***

David and Chris took her car so that they could take Miranda with them comfortably.

Chris was quiet for a few minutes, and then she turned to David.

"Honey, I made a decision. I told Mary Beth today that regardless of what they tell me at the retirement meeting, I am retiring on Dec.31."

"How did she take it, babe?"

"Well. She took it well. She said she's been considering doing the same thing herself, and she understood. She is probably the only one who really and truly would understand where I am coming from, since she retired once herself".

"Have you told Feldberg yet?"

"No, I haven't. I figured I would save that for tomorrow".

"Mary Beth and I were wondering if you could help us with something-we want to explore opening our private investigation firm. She had the idea that we would use cops who are off duty to work with us as kind of like a free-agent, and they would be independent contractors and would be responsible for their own taxes so that would mean that we wouldn't have to offer them insurance, is that right?"

"Yes, technically".

"So we could take cases on a 'whenever we want to basis' and we wouldn't have to work when we don't want to".

"Well that would definitely be a plus, but babe, are you sure you want to give it up?"

"Yes, I think so. It's time".

She turned to him. "What about you? Are you ready to give it up?"

"I think so. I am close, if nothing else".

About 20 minutes later, they were at Stephanie and Miranda's.

***Stephanie and Miranda's***

Chris and David got out of the car and walked to the door and rang the doorbell.

Stephanie let them in and hugged both of them.

They sat down for a few minutes, and Chris pulled the paperwork out.

"Stephanie, we want to show you something. I won the lottery last month, and so I set up a trust for my nieces and for Miranda. I just wanted you to know that when she is 25, she will get access to this account, and in the weeks leading up to it, we can change it to where she only gets so much per year, for 25 years or she can get it all at once. If I am no longer here, and David is, he can do it. If neither of us are here, you can do it".

She handed the paper to Stephanie. Stephanie looked at it and her mouth fell open.

"Chris…this is great! This takes a huge burden off me and David, thank you".

"Stephanie, this isn't her college fund either. I checked into that, and your paycheck contributes as does mine. Right now, she has around $400,000 for college, which should be enough to go anywhere".

"That's amazing. I am so glad to know that she will be taken care of. Thank you so much, Chris".

Chris hugged her, and then Miranda was finally ready.

"Hi Dad! Hi Chris!" She came over and hugged them both.

"Hiya kiddo!"

"Miranda, Chris won the lottery last month, and she very generously gave you a nice chunk of it. You will get it when you are 25, so you will be able to have a nice nest egg. Wasn't that thoughtful and generous of her?"

"Yes, thank you Chris!"

"You're welcome, sweetie".

David stood up. "Well, we better get going if we are going to dinner. Stephanie, would you like us to bring you anything?"

"No thank you, I already ate. I am just going to study for my test, and then probably go to bed. Ya'll have a good time".

They headed out and got in the car. Miranda picked hibachi, so they went to Misago.

***Misago***

They were seated almost immediately, and they sat down.

Miranda asked them questions about her trust, and they answer the questions honestly. She was crazily curious about how banks and stuff worked, and seemed satisfied with their answers.

"So if I need something before I am 25, how do I get it?"

"Well, that depends on what it is. You can ask your mom and me, or you can work for it and save your money".

"Well, I need a new phone right now, actually."

"What happened to yours?"

"Christa O'Brien bumped into me in the hall and I dropped it. It won't even turn on. I had to put my sim card in mom's old one, just to get back on Insta".

"We can help you with that, Miranda, but there will be stipulations."

"Like what?"

"Like if I buy you a new phone, you have to keep it in a case that will protect it from cracking if you drop it."

"Ok, deal".

She settled in on her phone, and David put his arm around Chris and she put her head on his shoulder.

"Babe, we will find an apartment. We will make do, I promise".

"I know, I know. I am just disappointed, is all. I guess I got my hopes up".

He kissed the side of her head, and she smiled at him.

"We should take a trip in January, honey, just because we can".

David nodded. "We are going to have a nice dinner, and then we are going to the AT&T store, and then we are going home and we are going to find a new apartment if that's what you want, and we will book and plan a trip for us, babe. We have earned it".

He kissed her, and she nodded.

"Why don't we all get new phones, honey?"

"We can get you one if you want to, Chris".

The waitress brought their drinks and took their order. Chris ordered the steak and lobster with fried rice, and David ordered the filet and shrimp, with fried rice, and Miranda ordered the steak and shrimp with fried rice. They chatted with Miranda about school, and her soccer team. She told them Stephanie was still planning on moving to the city next year, and she was hoping they would get a place with two parking spots so that when she turned 16, she could get a car.

"We might be moving too, sweetie."

"Really? Where?"

"Somewhere without any neighbors". Chris was getting grumpy again.

Miranda laughed. "In the city? No way!"

They finished eating, and as promised, David took them to the AT&T store.

***In the store***

Chris decided that she definitely wanted to trade in her phone. So, she backed up everything to the cloud, and took it out of the case. She walked over and picked out her phone that she wanted. After some indecision, she decided on the IPhone 7plus in Silver. David let Miranda pick out her phone, and she picked out the 7plus gold phone, and David chose the 7plus in jet black. They all three got the highest storage amount, and protective cases. David paid the bill, and wrote the number 8 on the receipt and handed it to Chris. She didn't question it.

She and David dropped Miranda off at home, and told her goodbye, and then headed back to the city.

They got home about 9, and headed inside.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris went in and changed into her jammies, and David put the leftovers away.

She came out and grabbed the new laptop, and synced her new phone with it. While it was syncing, she googled apartments for sale in Manhattan.

She found a few that she liked, and several that she didn't. She finally stumbled onto a website that let you put in what you are looking for and it would pull up what they had that was the closest.

And then finally, after about 30 minutes, she found it. It was on 1110 Park Ave, and just so happened to be 15 minutes from Bridgit and Lisa's building. This apartment was amazing. The terrace was bigger than theirs, the kitchen was exquisite, and it had a gallery and a keyed elevator entrance that would let them off right there in their own apartment.

She downloaded the floorplan, and pulled it up on the screen.

"Honey! Come look at this one".

David came in there, and sat next to her. He looked at all of the pictures and the floorplan, and then turned to her.

"Contact the realtor and see if we can look at it this week".

She did, and then she headed to the bedroom.

David was working in the office.

She turned the TV on, and climbed into bed and promptly fell asleep.

David came in about an hour later, and joined her. He turned the TV off, and wrapped his arms around her, and fell asleep.

***1:40 a.m.***

Chris was having a nightmare. She was moaning and almost screaming, and it wasn't making any sense. David woke up, and tried to wake her up, but couldn't, so he just held her. She was saying "No, I said no!" very emphatically. And then she started crying, and that's when she sat up and woke up.

"It's ok babe, you're ok". She was still crying, and she grabbed her water glass and slammed it. David jumped up and got her another one and brought it back to her. She drank some, and then laid back down.

He wrapped his arms around her, and then slowly, she started to fall asleep again.

She thought she had forgotten, she thought it was a part of her past. But apparently, even though her mind forgot, her body would never forget the day that she was raped.

She slept fitfully the rest of the night, and then woke up when her alarm went off, and headed straight for the shower.

She got ready for work, and made them breakfast. David could see she was still shaky, and wrestled with whether or not to bring it up. He finally decided to not.

After she loaded the dishwasher, they grabbed their things and headed to the parking garage.

He helped her load her things into the car, and then kissed her goodbye a few times.

"I love you babe, more than anyone. See you tonight. Try to have a calm day".

"Love you honey. Sorry I woke you last night". She kissed him a few more times.

"No problem babe. Everyone has nightmares".

He kissed her again, and then they headed to work.

***Chris and Mary Beth's office***

Chris came in and signed in and put her things down. Mary Beth wasn't in yet, but she had texted that she was on her way.

At exactly 9 a.m., a delivery guy showed up with 2 deliveries for Chris. One was her favorite salad from her favorite salad place, and the other was from Tiffany's. It was in the trademark blue box. She signed for them, and tipped the guy, and he left.

"Wow, Chris. Tiffany's! You are racking up!"

She noticed that the receipt for the salad had the number 7 on it, circled. And the Tiffany's box had a sticker on the wrapper with a 6 on it.

She opened the Tiffany's box to find a beautiful tanzanite and diamond ring set in platinum.

"Oh Chris, it's absolutely stunning!"

Chris immediately slipped the ring on to her right hand, and admired it.

She grabbed her phone, and sent David a text. "I wake you up in the middle of the night, and you spoil me anyways. You are the best honey, and I am so glad you are mine. Love you!"

He texted back a smiley face, and then "In court. Love you too babe".

"Mary Beth, there is something I cannot figure out. Everything I see lately has been in descending order….numbers on everything. Am I losing it? Are there always numbers on things?"

"Well, Chris, the restaurants always use orders. And the delivery guy was a courier, maybe they use them also".

"Yeah, maybe".

She and Mary Beth got to work, and Chris was glad that Mary Beth had brought her lunch that day. They were able to shut the office door and take a real break.

She told her all about how she gave Miranda the trust last night, and how David bought all 3 of them new phones.

She said something that Mary Beth heard, but chose not to acknowledge, since it sounded like she didn't want to talk about it. She wasn't positive, but she could have sworn that Chris said "Great way to spend a horrible day".

Mary Beth noticed that she had a text from David, that he had sent earlier that morning. "Chris didn't sleep well and had a nightmare that really bothered her- just letting you know in case she isn't herself".

She texted back "Thanks", and then looked at the calendar. As soon as she saw the date, she knew exactly what day it was for Chris. She chose not to say anything, but she gave her a little more grace.

Chris worked till 4, and then headed home. She was so ready for a relaxing evening.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris got home at 4, and made herself a club soda with extra lime. She set the alarm, locked the door, and headed straight to the bathroom. She drew a bath and threw some relax and some stress relief bath salts in, and then drew the curtains and lit some candles. She turned the jets on and disrobed and climbed in. She had her phone on the little tray, and her drink.

She was checking her email and saw that the realtor was available at 6 for them to see the apartment. She texted David and asked him, and he said yes, and then she replied to the email that they would be there. She set her clock for 30 minutes, and closed her eyes to just soak and relax some.

When the timer went off, she got out and dried off, and picked out some destructed skinny jeans, black wedges, and a bright purple blouse that she paired with a sleeveless black cardigan. She redid her makeup, and straightened her hair just a little, and grabbed her drink to go wait for David.

David got home right at 5:35, and after he freshened up some, they headed to meet the realtor.

***1110 Park Avenue***

They pulled up and parked. They took notice of the nice large parking garage, and how they had assigned spaces, just like she liked.

They went in to the lobby, which was gorgeous, and then asked the front desk for the realtor.

The realtor came out about 5 minutes later, and introduced herself.

"Hello, I am Kelsey Meyers, the realtor. "

"We are David and Chris Keeler, the prospective buyers".

'Nice to meet you, follow me."

They headed to the parking garage, and she showed them their private elevator that would take them directly to their apartment. When the elevator opened up, Chris' jaw fell open. It was absolutely exquisite. It was 3 stories, plus a private terrace on the roof and they would have their own pool. They would have the 14th, 15th, and 16th floor, plus the rooftop terrace. The 14th floor is where the utility rooms plus the extra bedrooms are. The 15th floor is where a TV room and their master suite was, and the 16th floor was where the kitchen, living and dining room, and terrace access were. Chris loved the fact that they would have their own pool, and that it was big enough they could bring the hot tub.

She and David walked around and took pictures of each room, and then the realtor gave them a few minutes of privacy.

"I love it, honey. We could really be comfortable here, and it's a safe building for when Miranda comes to visit, and now that she's getting older, she will have privacy with our room being upstairs from hers, and we will have our own pool, and a much bigger kitchen…"

"I love it too, babe. I just want to make sure that we can do a few things".

"Like what?"

"Well, I want them to maintenance the pool, not us. I want to be able to lock the elevators at night, so when Miranda visits, she can't leave without us knowing. And I want to be able to put in an alarm system, that would cover all three floors, when set."

"Those are great points. Plus, we need to find out about homeowner's association fees, and whether we can finance ourselves or do we have to go through a co-op?"

Chris wrote everything down, on her list and they headed to find the realtor.

"So we have a few questions. The first one is, does the building maintenance take care of the rooftop pool on the terrace?"

"Oh yes ma'am. And they have a separate entrance to the rooftop, so they won't have to come through your home".

"Great. Also, we would have a teenager staying here occasionally. Can the elevator be locked to prevent use?"

"Yes. When you get the keys, you will get an elevator key as well".

"Wonderful! And what about alarm systems?"

"This home is already equipped with ADT state of the art alarm system and the owner has indicated they will leave all of the instructions. There is a keypad on each level, and an extra one in the master bedroom".

"Great. Are there homeowner's fees?"

"There is an association, yes. I believe you pay $350 dollars per home each calendar year, and that pays for the homeowner's fees plus maintaining security in the parking garage. They also have a Christmas Club that you can contribute to each month of the year January-November, and it will be distributed among all of the staff for the month of December for their holiday gift".

David asked her some technical questions about financing, and then looked at Chris.

She nodded.

"What's the asking price?"

"Well, this apartment is a steal, at $21.5 million".

"We'll take it".

They shook hands, and she pulled some paperwork out for them to sign.

"The seller is going to be so excited. This place has only been on the market 4 months, and you guys are only the second showing".

"Do you work exclusively for this building? We would love for you to come sell our place after we move in here".

"I do work just here. But I would be happy to recommend someone. My sister, Savannah Owens, works as a realtor for Davenport Realty. She is a great realtor!"

Chris wrote that down, and then they signed the paperwork that stated that they had offered asking price for the penthouse, and David indicated that they would pay no more than $5million above asking price, so that the seller could fluctuate their price as needed in that limit without having to enter a bid war.

"If the seller accepts your offer, and I don't see why they won't, they are prepared to be out of here in 45-60 days. I will be talking to them tonight, and I will let you know what they say. As soon as they are out, they will give me all of the keys, and we will do a walk-through, and then I will contact you guys. We will have the penthouse professionally cleaned, and then we will give you the keys and you can pay the initial deposit, or whatever we agree upon then. So, in the meantime, you need to secure financing, and then have them contact me."

She slid David a business card, and he gave her one of his, and one of Chris'.

"So how many children do you two have?"

"Well, I have one daughter, and she has two nieces and one great-niece that live here in the city".

"That's great! Now you will have plenty of room for them to stay if they need to".

"Thank you so much for showing us this penthouse! We look forward to hearing from you."

They all shook hands, and then they rode the elevator down to the lobby again, and she showed them how to get to the parking garage.

They held hands most of the way, and got in the car and headed home.

David took Chris to dinner at Oasis, and then David told her that he needed to make a special stop.

"Ok, honey. Can I come in, or can I wait in the car?"

"You get to wait in the car, so that you don't spoil the element of surprise".

He kissed the side of her face after he parked, and then ran inside.

Chris looked up and saw that they were at Best Buy.

About 10 minutes later, David opened the back gate, and he and the guy put something in the back, and then David closed it.

He came around and got in the car, and started the engine.

"What did you get, honey?"

"It's a surprise, babe. I will show you when we get home".

About 10 minutes later, they were home.

***Chris and David's apartment***

David parked, and turned the car off. He told Chris to close her eyes. He leaned over and whispered "five" in her ear, and then kissed the side of her face.

She sat there, with her eyes closed, and felt him open the door, and lead her out of the car.

They got to the back, and she heard him open the gate.

He turned her so she couldn't see it and told her to open her eyes.

"Picture this babe. It's been a long, hard day at work, or at home, and you want to do nothing more than catch up on the DVR, or watch TV, or….soak in the pool or hot tub. Well, I was thinking, we could have the contractor build us a custom waterproof and weather proof TV cabinet to put by the pool". He turned her around and she saw a 72" smart tv in the box in the back of her car.

She jumped up and down and hugged him and kissed him.

"I love it! He has to do that for us, honey".

She stood there while he went and got a cart. They loaded the TV onto the cart and then rolled it over to their storage unit, and David wrapped it in a few packing blankets, and locked the gate back. They headed inside.

Chris went and got her pajamas on, and sat down on the couch with a fresh club soda and lime. She was scrolling on facebook, and playing around, and she heard David's phone go off. He answered it while he was changing clothes, and then came into the den where she was. She figured out he was on the phone with the realtor. He gave her a thumbs up, and she smiled really big, and then went over and kissed him.

They were homeowners. On Park Avenue. It was like a dream…

She went and got all dolled up, and put on a sexy pink babydoll, and came out of the bedroom. David was locking the door, and setting the alarm, and getting her some water. She turned on their favorite romantic music station, loud enough for him to hear it, and went into the bathroom and sprayed on the perfume that she knew he loved.

When she came back into the bedroom, he was standing by the bed, putting her water on the nightstand.

She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him.

"I can't believe that you and I are going to be living on Park Avenue, honey".

"We are set for life, babe". He picked her up, and put her in bed, and then crawled in next to her.

"Imagine it-we will have an entire floor to ourselves, and we will be able to have sex as loud as we want even if people are downstairs".

"Oh, that's hot, babe". They made mad, passionate love and then fell asleep, dreaming of their new home.

***Thursday***

Chris got up when her alarm went off, and got ready for work. She went and made breakfast for them after she was ready, and David came out and joined her. He found her making a list.

"What's the list for, babe?"

"Well, I was thinking, it would be convenient if we could have a washer and dryer on our floor of the penthouse as well as the one that's there now, on the floor below. So, I want to ask the contractor if we can do that."

"Where would you put it?"

"Well, we don't really need the sitting area of our master bedroom, so I was thinking he could make that part of the big closet there, and turn the back part into a second laundry room maybe".

"That's a good idea, babe".

They added a few more things to the list, and then cleaned up the kitchen and headed to the car. He helped her load her things into the car, and then kissed her goodbye.

"I love you more than anyone, babe. Dec.31 can't come soon enough".

"I love you too! Not saying goodbye to you is going to be awesome". She kissed him a few more times.

20 minutes later, she was at work.

***Chris and Mary Beth's office***

Chris and Mary Beth got to work the second they were in the office, on paperwork. Feldberg had strict deadlines when it came to case updates, and Chris was serious about meeting them.

"Chris, how did your appointment with the realtor go?"

"Which one?"

"Thought you said you and David were expanding".

"That was plan A, Mary Beth, but they rejected our offer. So, I started looking and found us an apartment, and we went to look at it last night. Turns out, it's a 3-story penthouse on Park Avenue, and we put in an offer before we left."

"Oh my goodness!"

"And they accepted, late last night".

"What?! Oh I can't believe it!"

Chris pulled her phone out and showed Mary Beth the pics.

"Oh Christine, it's so elegant, and gorgeous…you will be very happy there, my partner".

"That's what I am hoping… Guess what comes with it?"

"What? Maid service? I would love that".

"No, but thanks for the suggestion. I need to find one of those. No, it comes with its own rooftop terrace with private pool, that they maintenance".

"Oh, Christine, that's so awesome. I am so happy for you!"

They got back to work and then all of a sudden, David was there in her office with flowers and lunch.

It was a beautiful bouquet with lilac's, lily of the valley, and calla lilies.

"Hi babe! Brought you lunch".

He set the flowers down and the bag from the deli, and came around and kissed her.

"Hi honey! What a surprise!"

A uniformed officer came in and pulled Mary Beth to sign some forms, which gave David and Chris a moment alone.

"Babe, I came here because something happened this morning. I called the realtor and took a deposit check to the office. I asked her to print off the building reports from the last inspection, so that we could see if everything had been fixed. Long story short, the penthouse is on the market so cheap because it has black mold in all of the bathrooms. It will require extensive renovations, that would cost more than what we are paying for it probably, and with you just getting over pneumonia, I just don't think we should do it. I think we should pull back our offer".

She let out a heavy sigh.

"Ok honey, whatever you think is best."

She immediately opened her browser and then started pulling up websites of other apartments.

"we don't really need more than one story, honey. Are you ok with scaling it back some?"

"Yep".

So, they sat there and browsed and browsed and then Chris found one. West 95th street. It was 2 stories plus a rooftop terrace, and it would need some renovations, but they could still pull it off.

"Honey, see this floorplan- what if we take out this bedroom right here, and then we extend our bedroom this way, and build you a closet over here, and then Miranda's room can be this one with the terrace? And we can put the hot tub on the rooftop terrace, just like we planned. And we need to find a clawfoot jacuzzi tub to put in the bathroom.."

"Ok babe. Slow down… we need to contact the realtor, and then look at it, and then make an offer, and then make a list".

Chris was laughing. "This one better work out…."

"I feel the same way".

Chris leaned over and smelled her flowers, and saw the #4 sticker at the bottom of the vase.

"What is up with the numbers on everything? I keep seeing numbers everywhere…."

David winked at her and didn't say anything.

They ate lunch, and Mary Beth came back in and chatted with them some, and then David had to get back to work.

"Thanks for the flowers and for lunch, honey. Are you calling the realtor, or do you want me to?"

"I will call and set up an appointment for tonight. Does 7 work?"

"Maybe. Mary Beth and I have the retirement meeting at 5, at the Plaza hotel. Surely it won't last that long. I will text you".

"Sounds good, babe". He kissed her goodbye and left.

"Gorgeous flowers, Christine".

"Yeah, he always knows how to break bad news to me…"

"What bad news?"

"Well, he went to give a deposit check to the realtor of the building with the penthouse and he asked to see the inspection papers from the last inspection. See, that's why I married him, Mary Beth. I would never think to do that. Anyways, he found black mold and no evidence that it's been fixed, and he got the realtor to admit that the owner just listed it instead of fixing it, and he feels that with me just having gotten over pneumonia, it isn't a good fit. So, he thinks we should rescind our offer, and then we browsed the internet and found a new one on west 95th, and we already decided that if we get it, we are going to make some renovations."

"Wow, Chris. Life happens fast, huh?"

"Yes. Hopefully I can keep up".

"So what renovations do you want to make?"

She pulled up the floorplan. "Well, this would be our room, and it only has the one master closet. It is imperative for the sanctity of my marriage that my husband and I have separate closets. So, I was thinking we could take out this bedroom, and then make our bedroom bigger, and also make David a walk-in-closet in there, and maybe a small office, if there's room. The only thing I have to give up is the washer and dryer in my closet. That was a wonderful dream…"

"Every mother's dream is to have a washer and dryer in the closet, Chris. It would make laundry day so much easier".

"I also want a new tub in the master bath, if they don't have a clawfoot one".

"I can't wait to see how beautiful your new home is, Christine".

"You will have to come help me decorate".

They kept working till 4, and then signed out and left. Mary Beth rode with Chris, since they were both going to the meeting.

They pulled up and parked. "Here goes nothing, Mary Beth".

***Plaza Hotel***

Chris and Mary Beth went inside and followed the signs for the retirement meeting. They signed in, and took a seat.

There were some forms to fill out, and a table with refreshments. There were also informational pamphlets, and they each took one.

The meeting was small, only about 20 people showed up to it, and the speaker kept things short. They had a file for each person, and their file showed how much they would get each month if they retired right then.

Chris opened hers up, and was pleased with the amount, although now that she had won the lottery, it really no longer mattered financially. She asked a few questions about insurance, and was satisfied with their answers.

Mary Beth was satisfied with her information as well, and at 5:45, they were back in the car.

Chris dropped Mary Beth off, and then headed home.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris walked in at 6:15, and headed to change clothes. David wasn't home yet, and she knew they were meeting the realtor, so she didn't want to start dinner.

She made herself a snack and then a club soda with extra lime, and waited for David.

He texted that he was on his way at 6:30, and to meet him in the parking garage.

She noticed that there were a couple boxes on the counter that were wrapped. The bigger one said 3 and the smaller one said 2. She texted him and asked him about them and he said he would explain later. A delivery man knocked on the door, and had a bouquet of flowers for her. White roses with purple heather and lilacs. The card was from Brian and Ann. "All our love, Brian and Ann".

Chris didn't think about it too long, because David texted that he was in the parking garage.

She grabbed her things and locked the door, and set the alarm.

She took the elevator to the parking garage, and then headed for their space.

She looked up to see David standing next to a brand new Land Rover First edition Discovery, in silver. He had even put a red bow on it.

"David, what is this?"

"It's for you, babe. You like it?"

She was in shock…she loved it! He handed her the keys and told her she could drive to the appointment with the realtor.

She climbed in, and he got in the passenger seat.

She leaned over and kissed him, and then they drove to the appointment.

***In the car***

"You traded in your convertible for me, honey?"

"No, I figured we could trade your Explorer for this, but then I was afraid you would figure it out. So, we bought this outright, and then we can sell the Explorer as soon as we can get it detailed and ready. I called the front desk, and they sold us an extra parking space for 60 days, and if you like this, we can get your car ready and sell it."

"I love this! It's roomy, but not huge, and it's very comfortable to ride in. So, the question is, do you want to drive this each day, or do I get to?"

"It's yours, babe".

"You are so good to me, honey". She pulled up to the building where they were meeting the realtor and parked.

***West 95th street***  
Chris and David got out and went inside to meet the realtor. She showed them where the elevators were and told them that they would be given their own key to allow them to go to the penthouse and to keep others out.

"Does the elevator go into our penthouse?"

"No, but it is right in front of your door".

"Great!" She showed them in, and they started looking around. The penthouse was big, but not overly huge, and felt homey. Chris loved the kitchen, because of the immense counter space. David headed to the rooftop terrace and measured for the hot tub.

Chris loved the master bath, and the open light in the master bedroom, and that there was a fireplace in the master bedroom as well. They couldn't find anything they didn't like about it. David asked lots of technical questions, about inspections and repairs and maintenance. Chris made a list of things she would want to talk to the contractor about.

They walked around together for a bit and looked at each room, and then David turned to Chris. "What do you think babe?"

"I love it. What do you think?"

"I love this one, but I'm happy anywhere I am with you".

She kissed him. "Can we afford this place?"

"Yes, babe, we can more than afford it".

"So how much do we want to go above asking price?"

"Maybe 7?"

She nodded.

David and Chris went and found the realtor, but she was on the phone. They hung out, looking at the view till she got off the phone.

"You should have told me this before I brought clients here, Doug! I think you forget that I am a partner now, and not just your secretary!"

The realtor angrily hung up her phone, and turned and saw Chris and David standing there.

"My apologies, but it seems that my one of my partners showed this penthouse today, and accepted a contract on it without telling me. So, I am unable to accept any bids from you right now, but I am putting you on the list so that in the event this contract falls through, you will be next. I sincerely apologize".

"We understand, thank you".

She showed them out.

Chris tried to not show her disappointment, but she failed at that. She was tired of looking for new places and falling in love with them, only to be let down all over again.

They headed home, and she let David drive the car this time. They stopped and picked up his car at the dealership, and then she met him back at home. He had called and ordered dinner for them, and had it delivered, so she wouldn't have to cook.

She pulled in and parked, and started cleaning out the explorer while she waited for David to come home.

In a way, it was fitting that she was giving up the Explorer, because she had bought it right after her divorce from Jimmy. It was a sign of her independence then, and selling it now was a sign of growth for her as well.

She got everything in the new car like she liked it, and then went into the house.

***Chris and David's apartment***

Chris came in and locked the door behind her. She went and changed into some comfortable jammies, and then came back to make herself a club soda with lime. She was starving, but she was waiting for David to get home. She pulled out her laptop and sat on the couch, and started looking for a new home. She found three that she liked, but she refused to get her hopes up. She bookmarked them, to show David.

David came in and went to change clothes as well, and then joined her on the couch.

"Whatcha doin, babe?"

"Back to square one, honey. Look at this one that I found. I am sure if we like it, it will fall through".

He looked at it, and said he would contact the realtor.

"If it's meant to be, babe, then it will be".

There was a knock on the door, and David got up to answer it. It was the delivery man.

He tipped him and signed for it, and shut the door behind him.

"Dinner's ready, babe".

She got up and came over and leaned against his back. "What are we having, honey?"

"I ordered you the steak marsala with extra mushrooms, and a side of cavatappi, and a chopped green salad with blue cheese on the side. I am having steak marsala and cavatappi and steamed veggies".

"Thanks honey". She kissed him, and got out two plates and some silverware, and made them beverages.

David quickly set the table and then they ate, while they talked about what they liked about the penthouse and what they didn't like.

"Two things are paramount for me, David. I want you and I to have equal sized closets, and a nice bathroom. And I also want Miranda to have privacy when she stays with us as well. I want her to feel like she is safe but that we aren't like, right on top of her. So, I feel that it would be best if she had her own bedroom and bathroom on the other end of the house from us, if possible".

"I agree with both things, babe. And we need a terrace. I love living up high, like you do, but I also love being able to sit outside with you, and enjoy the city".

"I love that too. I love our hot tub dates, and tomorrow, we will be able to get in the hot tub again, honey."

"I can't wait".

After they finished eating, they cleaned up the kitchen, and Chris went to go sit and look at homes again. David brought the two presents over.

"Babe, you wanna open these?"

"Sure". She opened the first one, and found an absolutely gorgeous key wire bracelet in gold.

"Oh, it's gorgeous! Thank you!"

She opened the next one and found some beautiful sapphire and diamond drop earrings.

"David, I love them!" She kissed him a few times, and then went and put them on in the bathroom where she could see them really well.

David was headed to see her wear them, but heard a knock on the door.

He opened the door to find Bridgit and Charli, and Lisa.

"Hi girls, come on in".

"Chris is in the back, let me go get her".

Chris was putting her jewelry in her jewelry armoire, and washing her face.

"Babe, the girls are here".

"Ok, be right out".

Chris finished washing her face, and came out to see them.

"Hi girls!"

"Hi Aunt Chris!"

"What are you three doing here?"

"Well, we couldn't let today go by without seeing you".

"What do you mean?"

"Seriously? Happy Birthday, Aunt Chris!"

The look on her face was indescribable.

"Oh my gosh…it is my birthday… I have been so busy with the lottery thing, and retiring, and our Hawaii trip, and all the chaos from me possibly being promoted to deciding to retire, and looking for a new home… I completely forgot my own birthday".

David kissed the side of her head. "That's adorable, babe".

Bridgit was holding Charli, who was just smiling and laughing. Lisa grabbed their presents out of her purse and handed them to her. She opened the first card and found a sweet note with a gift card for a spa day, enough for 4 treatments. Bridgit's was next, and Chris opened it and found a sweet note with a very nice Tory Burch bangle bracelet and clutch.

"Girls, you are too sweet! Thank you so much!"

And then, she had her lightbulb moment. She turned to David. "So you were putting the numbers on the gifts?"

"Yes, babe. 10 gifts to show you how much I love you".

"What did you get, Aunt Chris?"

"Well, first I got flowers. A beautiful arrangement of all of my favorites. And then, I got this new laptop with all of the accessories, and then we took Miranda to dinner, and ended up going to the AT&T store and David bought us all new phones, and then I got a beautiful Tiffany's ring and my favorite lunch delivered". She took them into the bedroom to show them the ring.

"Then David got us a waterproof smart tv because we were going to have it outside, but we will probably take that back and exchange it. After that, was more flowers, and then tonight, I opened up this bracelet, and these earrings". She put them on to show them and they were looking over at David and giving him the thumbs up sign.

"And then, I got this really awesome present, but I have to take you somewhere to show it to you."

She led them to the elevator, and then had them close their eyes.

She led them both to the parking garage, and then had them open their eyes, as David clicked the lock/unlock button on the Range Rover key.

"Oh my gosh! That's amazing!" They both ran to it, and looked in.

"Aunt Chris, do you just love it?!"

"Yes, I think so. It's so nice, and a very smooth ride, and it's mine…"

They laughed and then went back inside.

The girls stayed for a little bit longer just chatting, and Charli woke up for her last bottle, so after she was done eating, they left and headed home.

"Thanks for coming girls, and thanks for the presents! Love all three of you!"

"Love you too, Aunt Chris!"

She locked the door behind them, and sat back down on the couch with David.

"Thank you for all my birthday presents, honey. I love them!"

"You're welcome, babe". He kissed her a few times, and then she grabbed the laptop, and they started looking again.

David got a text confirmation that the realtor was able to show them the new place tomorrow morning at 8:30. He responded that they would be there.

Chris was looking at the floor plan of the new place. This place had a master bedroom with its own terrace, and a big long terrace for the entire apartment, and 4 other bedrooms, one of which also had its own terrace.

"Honey, if we get this place, what do you think about us expanding our room and making this bedroom next to it ½ office, ½ walk in closet?"

"That's a great idea, babe. And we can put a hot tub on our terrace, and nobody will see us out there".

"Yes, there's that too. Miranda can have any bedroom she wants, but I am hoping she will pick this one for privacy. We need to really talk it up to her. Can we still get the step put in for our bed?"

"Yes, we are definitely doing that, babe".

She started making a list, and her final item was to knock out the bedroom in the middle and make it a full size laundry room.

"Since we aren't going to have our rooftop terrace and pool, why don't we take the TV back and put the money towards our new bed?"

"Sounds like a plan. I am taking the day off tomorrow, so after we go to meet the realtor, I will take the TV back, and then get your Explorer detailed and washed and ready to sell".

"Babe, where is this new place?"

Chris pulled up the address. "West 59th street, in the Element building".

"That's a nice place, babe".

She put the laptop away, and then headed to the bathroom. David got her a glass of water and set the alarm and locked the door, and then came to bed.

She texted Mary Beth that she was going to see another place in the morning before work.

"Ok, see you when you get in. And I am sorry I forgot to mention it, but Happy Birthday, partner!"

"Thank you, partner. Would you believe I forgot it myself?"

She and Mary Beth texted for a few minutes, and then she set her phone alarm and put it on the nightstand.

She and David snuggled up and watched the news for a little bit, and then David turned it off.

He rolled over and embraced her. "Happy Birthday, babe". He kissed her a few times, and she smiled at him and kissed him back.

They made love and then fell asleep.


End file.
